by Brian Brooks/indieWIRE

Strand Releasing has acquired North American rights to Jun Ichikawa's "Tony Takitani," which will have its US premiere at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival in the world dramatic competition section, the company announced Wednesday. The deal was negotiated on behalf of Celluloid Dreams by Charlotte Mickie and on behalf of Strand Releasing by co-Presidents, Jon Gerrans and Marcus Hu. Strand plans a theatrical release sometime in May or June of this year in the U.S.

Based on a story by acclaimed writer Haruki Murakami ("The Wind Up Bird Chronicle"), the story involves a lonely illustrator, Tony Takitani, who finds the unexpected love of a beautiful young woman whose affliction is her uncontrollable urge to collect expensive couture clothing. The film stars well known Japanese actors, Issey Ogata and Miyazawa Rie in what Strand describes as "dual roles akin to Alfred Hitchcock's 'Vertigo' and is used similarly as a thematic tool."

Ichikawa's credits include "Tokyo Lullaby" and "The Osaka Story." The film features a lush score by Academy Award winner Ryuichi Sakamoto, who also did the score for Strand's release of John Maybury's "Love is the Devil."

"We're huge fans of Murakami's writing and considered it a faithful and unique approach to adapting his work for the screen," said both Gerrans and Hu in a statement. Upcoming Strand releases include Fatih Akin's "Head-On," which debuts on January 21st and won best picture from the European Film Academy, as well as critical favorite "Tropical Malady" by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, which was also acquired from Celluloid Dreams.